Sunday, November 14, 2010

Knight and Squire: My new favorite Britons

There are two ways a comic like Knight and Squire could go. It could suck (like Superman walking across America to reconnect), or it could be amazing (like Lex Luthor and his Louis-Bot). Thankfully, the comic gods have decided to smile upon us, for the deemed that Knight and Squire shall be amazing.

And amazing it is.

As Paul Cornell says himself, this is an insane spinoff of Batman and Robin. And where Batman is the broodiest of all orphans, Knight and Squire have jaunty romps through Merry England, filled with nods to British culture and humor. It's a fun comic!

But I think the best part is the little feminist ideals I see in Beryl (Squire). She's tough, and quick witted, definitely the brains of the two. Plus, the artist Jimmy Broxton has the piece of mind to actually draw her like a teenager. She's wearing baggy jeans, a teeshirt, and mary janes. She's got that spunky look reminiscent of Adrien Tomine's "Super-hero Girls." Her squire costume is outlandish to the point of bizarre, but when paired with the British Villains they fight (the Organ Grinder, who has a talking monkey, The Morris Men who boink people with sticks), it all makes sense.

If you're not reading this comic, pick it up now. You need to (because I say so).